We are now approaching the twilight of the New Year and as soon our calendars change, so as our family, our friends, our job, our dreams, our memories. Year by year, we realize our accomplishments in life; we add new people to our circle of friends, we gain more memories, pictures are piling, yearbooks accumulate more dusts as it lies there in our book shelves. The coming year will definitely add more value to those we consider precious.

You know what is the most precious thing on earth no money can buy? It's those memories we lock inside the ventricle of our hearts. I remember a friend who told me that as the news of a big storm and flood coming to their area, the first thing she saved was her photo albums, all of it! You might wonder that of all things she wanted to save from flood are those photo albums. Absolutely! I'd do the same given the same situation. Nothing can replace the memories that those pictures have brought to our lives. Remember that first love letter you received from your husband when you were still high school sweethearts? Once in a while, we collect memories and a way of collecting them is through pictures, notes, your ticket stub to a concert even a table napkin where you wrote your "I love yous" during that most romantic date.

I am a memories collector myself and I came across a website that offers something for us to BE Remembered. It is a site where you can store those precious memories and offers automated reminder where you will not miss a birthday of your friend or relatives, the anniversary of wedding or even the day you and your loved one traveled in a very special place. The website guarantees to store your memories for as long as one decade! Imagine being updated before hand that a birthday or anniversary is coming up or your loved ones whom you intend to share those precious memories with will likewise be reminded in TEN years! That's what about living on means. Those memories you consider precious will just go on, and go on and still go on for ten long years.

Guys, I just remembered writing about this song to let you know how busy I was the previous weeks before Christmas. A team was tasked to survey the polling precincts in relation to the forthcoming Philippine 2010 Presidential election and beyond (because Senators, Congressmen down to th town level of Mayor and Councilors will be voted.) I was fortunate to be chosen as one of the site surveyors. So we go to COMELEC for the briefing and how to do's then off we go to the polling precincts.

We were just there to check the road condition, signal condition (of Globe, Smart and Suncell networks) lighting condition and if there is reliable power supply in the area. Well, I thought it was that easy. What went wrong? Oh boy! I was confronted with a lot of questions starting from school authorities to classroom custodians including the tricycle driver I hired to bring me to those places.

There I saw first hand, the fear/anxiety/doubts of my kababayans (Town-mates) towards the idea of automated election. There were few who quite understood what was going on. In fact, some claimed that they got idea regarding the election from this Sexbomb Dancers' song (applause). At least now we know that indeed some learn from the song. I'd say if one is keen enough to understand and perhaps arm himself/herself with a little knowledge on what automated election is about, there would be no need to worry.

That's what I did. Our survey work wasn't really full time. My preparations was full time. I searched for all the materials I needed in order to give a little bit of information I know about the automated election. Somehow. I was able to enlighten a few of them who were initially adamant on the subject.

There was mixed reaction, as I've said. Some teachers were very eager to have their designated classrooms be surveyed. There are those who hesitated. There was this one school principal who passed me to a subordinate and directed the latter to show me those rooms but later on requested that the subordinated wronged in assigning the room thus requested that I redo the survey. Oh boy. Too good I have the option not to do it since the principal signed my survey form anyway. If travel allowance permits, why not. Anyway, as I have read and as what I explained to those who asked me how is this automated election, I just told them, it's like taking the board exam where you will just shade the circle corresponding to your most worthy candidate then pass the paper on to a machine (or an election inspector will assist you on that -not sure) but that was basically what I shared with them. Comes tomorrow, my survey work will continue.

Prior to that, let me explain how my translation below will proceed. "Bilog" is a general term that refer to something that is circle or round or a shape that has no edge. "Itlog" is an egg. To my knowledge, before the word "oblong" (oval) came to being, Filipinos first referred to the egg whose shape is oval as oval. I say this because I used to refer to the egg when I encountered the word "oval" when I was still in grade school. The egg-shape stuck to my mind. Charged to experience, here now is my translation of the song Bilog na Hugis Itlog (Round/Circle that is egg-shape)

===================================
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Mare, mare* (See details below)
May ikukuwento ako sa ‘yo, puwede? (I have a story to tell you, can be?)
Oo naman mare! Puwede! (Of course you can)
Simula na po ang automation (It's the start of automation)
Sa darating na twenty ten elections (This coming 2010 elections)
Sa automation bibilis (in automation, will speed-up)
bibilis ang bilangan (will speed-up the counting)
Kaya lalong dapat nating bantayan (So the more we should carefull watch)
Nasa balota na mga pangalan (in the ballots are the names that)
ng kandidatong pagpipilian (of candidates to chose from)
Alamin na po natin ang automation (Let us know the automation)
Paano nga ba’ng gagawin? (How to do it?)
Ano bagong instruction? (What is the instruction?)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Ang kailangan sa bilog (What you need to do with the circle)
ay simpleng-simple lang (is very simple)
Itiman, i-shade loob** ng bilog (Blacken, shade the inside of the circle)
Hanapin ang bilog sa tapat ng pangalan (Find the circle in front of the name)
ng kandidatong napupusuan (the candidate of your heart's choice)
Ang bilog, ang bilog (The circle, the circle)
sa tapat ng pangalan (in front of the name)
‘Yan ang dapat nating markahan (That is what we should mark)
Gets mo ba? (Did you get it?)
Gets ko na! (I got it!)
Gets na gets na talaga! (I really got it!)
Computer ang magbabasa ng ating mga balota (The computer will read our ballots)
Kung mali ang pagmarka baka boto mo’y mabasura (If your mark is wrong, your ballots may be invalidated)
Sayaaaang!
Balota mo’y alagaan (Take care of your ballots)
Boto’y makapangyarihan (Your vote is powerful)
Huwag gusutin o dungisan (Don't crumple or blemish)
Upang tiyak na mabilang (So it would be surely counted)
Ang boto mo, boto mo makapangyarihan (Your vote, your vote is powerful)
Pumili tayo ng tuwid ng may paninindigan (Let us choose rightfully and with conviction)
Tunay na lider na magsisilbi sa bayan (True leader that will serve the country)
Yan ang kailangan (That is needed)
Kailangan ng bayan (needed by the country/town)
Isang Presidente, Bise Presidente (A President, a Vice-President)
Mga Senador puwede hanggang dose (Senators up to twelve)
Isang Congressman, at isang Party List lang (A Congressman and one party-list only)
Huwag na, huwag nang dagdagan (Never, never add)
Isang Mayor, may Vice Mayor (A mayor, a vice-mayor)
At kung ilang Konsehal ang kailangan (and how many councilors neede)
Isang Gobernador, At kanyang Bise (One Governor and its Vice)
At kung ilang Bokal puwede! (And if how many Board can there be)
Hanapin ang bilog (Find the circle)
Sa tapat ng pangalan (In front of the name)
ng kandidatong napupusuan (of candidate)
Ang bilog, ang bilog (The circle, the cirlce)
Sa tapat ng pangalan (in front of the name)
‘Yan ang dapat nating markahan (That is what we should mark)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Ang kailangan sa bilog (What we need to do with the circle)
ay simpleng-simple lang (is very simple
Itiman, i-shade loob ng bilog (Blacken, Shade the inside of the cricle)
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog (The inside of the circle that is egg-shape)
Huwag bibilugan (Do not encircle)
loob ang dapat itiman (The inside should be shaded)
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog (The inside of the circle that is egg-shape)
Aw!!!
=========================
*Mare is pronounced as "mah-reh" which is a nomenclature to a female friend/acquaintance who is the godmother of your son/daughter
**Loob means inside or interior or the space inside the circle.

"Three stars and the sun" that was the kind of t-shirt design my friend from the USA was looking for. I was asked to search or look for a shirt like that. It should be easy, I thought, because eversince this famous Pinoy rapper passed away, T-shirts printed with his face or some ornaments that would compliment his songs were largely circulated among the local artists and of course to the can-afford public. I was shocked to learn that such a shirt costs as much as 3 or 4 times the amount you could get from a simple shirt in the malls.

I am not yet that well-to-do you know. Buying such an expensive shirt for my friend who is from US was not practical. I have always been an economical or practical person. I am just trying to make ends meet according to my ability to earn. Hay... Economics! Anyway, I have nothing against the T-shirt being sold for a cause. It was for a good cause after all. In fact, I admire the shirt and I love to have one but I can't afford this one. Anyway, Christmas came with just a little penny on my pocket. I chanced upon a local dry goods store. I saw this yellow shirt (my favorite color, have I said that?) with a map of my country embroidered on its left chest. My eyes were fixed on it so I closed my eyes... and imagined I could own that shirt... then I opened my eyes... and presto! The saleslady handed the shirt to me. I will consider that as the most wonderful gift I have received this Holiday Season. With so much rejoicing over having a shirt most pleasing to my eyes, I bought another color, for my sister. Once again, I closed my eyes, so the reality that I am letting go of my penny will escape me a bit. LOL! It was a gift for my sister, I said. So it is worth it. My consolation came when I gave my gift to my sister, she liked it! So there... I got my shirt and somehow, it would help me show the world (or just my neighbors and friends) that my love for this country is lit albeit flickering because of the ongoing chaos and tumult (the floods, the economic downfall, the massacre, dirty politics, volcanic eruption, etc). This is the reason why I came back, and I wanna stay, so in my own little way, I could help my country. Staying and facing the troubles, the gargantuan problems of this country, is my means of helping this nation. If Francis M. helped or promoted the Philippine culture and aspiration through his music, I think I could help simply by not adding insult to injury, do something good to others, show some love primarily to your family and friends then perhaps love to your enemies will also find its way through our hearts. I used to be an idealistic person, a normal feeling for youngsters, and I think with the words I just shared with you, I am re-living my idealism, only with a tinge of realism and "practicalism" (or the right term "practicality").

And again, my little contribution to our music industry... my own translation of the song Mga kababayan ko by Francis M.

==================================
Mga kababayan ko (my town-mates)
Dapat lang malaman nyo (It's right for you to know)
Bilib ako sa kulay ko (I believe in/proud of my color)
Ako ay pilipino (I am Filipino)
Kung may itim or may puti (If there is white or there is black)
Mayron naman kayumangi (There is also brown)
Isipin mo na kaya mong (Think that you can)
Abutin ang yung minimithi (reach your goals/aspirations)

RAP
Dapat magsumikap para tayo'y di maghirap (We should strive harder so we won't suffer)
Ang trabaho mo pagbutihin mo (Your work, do good)
Dahil pag gusto mo ay kaya mo (Because if you want it, you can do it)
Kung kaya mo ay kaya nya (For if you can he also can)
At kaya nating dalawa (and both of us can do it)

Magaling ang atin (Ours is great)
Yan ang laging iisipin (always put that in mind)
Pag asensyo mararating (Progress/development can be achieved)
Kung handa kang tiisin (If you're ready to bear)
Ang hirap at pagod sa problema (poverty, tiredness with problems)
Wag kang malunod (Dont get drowned)
Umaahon ka wag lumubog (Get up, don't sink)
Pagka't ginhawa naman ang susunod (Because there is rest after)
Iwasan mo ang ingit (Avoid envy)
Ang sa ibay ibig mong makamit (What others have you want to own)
Dapat nga ikaw matuwa sa napala ng iyong kapatid (In fact you whould be happy for the blessing of your sibling)
Ibig kung ipabatid (I want to let you know)
Na lahat tayo'y kabig bisig* (That we are all arms locked/connected)

Respetohin natin ang ating ina (Respect our mother)
Ilaw siya ng tahanan (Sh is light of the home)
Bigyang galang ang ama (Give honor to father)
At ang payo ang susudan (and honor his advice)
At sa magkakapatid (and to siblings)
Kailang ay magmahalan (love one another)
Dapat lang ay pag usapan ang hindi nauuwaan (It's right to talk over things you don't undrstand)

Wag takasan ang pag kukulang (Don't evade from your shortcomings)
Kasalan ay panagutan (Be responsible to your faults)
Magmalinis ay iwasan (Avoid pretending you are clean)
Nakakainis marumi naman (It's irritating that its unclean)
Ang mag kaaway ipag bati (Mediate to those who are warring/fighting)
Gumitna ka ang wag kumampi (Stay in the middle and be not bias)

Lahat tayoy magkakapatid (We are all siblings)
Anong mang mali ay ituwid (Correct whatever is wrong)
Magdasal sa diyos maykapal (Pray to God Almighty)
Maging banal at wag hangal (Be holy and don't be a fool)
Itong tula ay alay ko (This poem I dedicate)
Sa inyo at sa buong mundo (To you and to the whole world)

Repeat chorus

01 - Francis M - ...

I have been away for a while but here is a song for everyone.

As my friend Hugh said, let us just all hope... that the world peace is attainable. We also hope and pray for peace in our country and that violence that the coming 2010 election brings will be halted is not minimized.

And, as my favorite movie says, "when someone does something for you, don't pay it back, PAY IT FORWARD" and we could see that this one world is the best place for all of us, without boundaries, without hatred, without division.

Here is my most favorite Christmas song:
All through the year
We've waited
Waited through spring and fall
To hear silver bells ringing
See winter time bringing
The happiest season of all

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jackfrost nippin' at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Will help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes of a glow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

(*) They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is going to spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

(**) And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times,
Many ways
Merry Christmas to you

======================
Carpenters - Christmas Song Lyrics @ LyricsTime.com

My friend wrote to me the other day telling me how worried he was when he heard about the flood that happened here in the Philippines. We used to work together, you know. This was one of the songs he sent me via email while I was "trying to push" the agents get more job done during our shift. We worked together in a call center business. He represented our client and we regularly talked on the phone.

I had to leave work and pursue my law school. We parted ways but remained to be friends. All I have is this song to remind me of him and of course, my iPod which I got from him. He emailed me the other day saying that although he seldom write to me, he will always be a friend. That was really sweet. He is truly sweet, you know.

I was out of my head when one time I ringed him, I didn't realize that we belong to different time zones, so ended waking him up at 4 in the morning. I hugely apologized for that mistake. It was so embarrassing! Imagine waking somebody up very early in the morning just to say "hi" and a few chit-chat maybe. That is one difficulty of having a friend from a different time zone.


Lyrics of the song Push It I copied from youtube

Ah, push it
Ah, push it

Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby

Get up on this!

Ow! Baby!
Salt and Pepa's here!

[Now wait a minute, y'all
This dance ain't for everybody
Only the sexy people
So all you fly mothers, get on out there and dance
Dance, I said!]

Salt and Pepa's here, and we're in effect
Want you to push it, babe
Coolin' by day then at night working up a sweat
C'mon girls, let's go show the guys that we know
How to become number one in a hot party show
Now push it

Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - push it real good
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - p-push it real good

Hey! Ow!
Push it good!

Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby

Yo, yo, yo, yo, baby-pop
Yeah, you come here, gimme a kiss
Better make it fast or else I'm gonna get pissed
Can't you hear the music's pumpin' hard like I wish you would?
Now push it

Push it good
P-push it real good

Ah, push it
Get up on this!

Boy, you really got me going
You got me so I don't know what I'm doing

Ah, push it

This song was introduced to me by my brother. I became more familiar with it and REM because of my borther. He used to be a fan, when we were still in colleg, I just don't know if it still stands true today. I can not recall the latest hit made by REM, and I mean like 2009 hit or song release. I am not really a wide fan, I am just familiar with them particularly with this song.

What was it like losing my religion?

It was not a secret that I once lost my faith, so to speak. I neglected my religious duties and lived life as if my soul didn't matter. Oooops... I didn't intend to say that I've grown bad when I lost my religion. I just think that I did nothing to "nourish my soul" back then. I could say I was really lost, and I lost everything, including my faith to my family. What only mattered was myself.

Hah! Selfish whale, that was me! What I did? I completely debunked that idea that there is a god. I somehow imbibed the philosophy of Nietzche that God is dead... because we killed him. I killed God in my thoughts. I was like a hard disk, erasing every bit of document, file extension and folder name from my memory and worst, I convinced others. However, they were not too shallow to follow my lead. At least I had that consolation. I even forgot my Sunday obligations and got to the point of almost burning the bible that a friend gave me. I was really insane and what I did was really horrible, that I don't want to expound on it anymore.

I really don't want to delve so much on this because I know, religion is a very sensitive topic. All I want to convey to you right now is my dark past. I call that my great divide where I learned so much so that I regain what I usually was: God-fearing. As a last note, let me tell you what I dramed of becoming when I was still a little kid. I wanted to be either a nun or a lawyer. Maybe God wants me to become a lawyer first then be a nun later. Who knows? Who could have guessed the thoughts of the Almighty? At the moment, I am setting aside my ambition to become a nun by becoming a lawyer first. Who knows really? God is full of surprises!

=================================

Lyrics of the song Losing my Religion by REM

Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up

(chorus)
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight, I'm
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up
Consider this
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

(repeat chorus)

But that was just a dream
Try, cry, why try?
That was just a dream
Just a dream, just a dream
Dream

Today is the first of December and we are now on the first week of Advent. This was the first Christmas song I learned from my community that I love so much. My community, Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon, was so welcoming when I joined the choir or the Music Ministry.

What is so memorable for me about this Christmas song is my appreciation of the "voices" in music. They are the soprano, alto, tenor and bass. I am one of the altos. We sang this song in four voices before although I still don't have an appreciation of such arrangement those times. I just sang it and followed their instructions. I lack internalization back then, which I think I already have now. Our music team is very patient in teaching us, you know, and I truly admire him. I am a slow learner, most particularly in music, but I do internalize things to alleviate my learning skills.

Christmas is in the air again. This is my most favorite part of the year! I am excited to sing this song again. We are to sing at our parish church on a dawn mass (we call it "Simbang Gabi"). Some may ask what is Simbang Gabi? That is the nine day novena in preparation for the birthday of Jesus Christ. The tradition starts on the 16th of December until the 24th. The sermon of the priest once explained that misa de gallo (I believe the Spanish term for simbang gabi) came from the words meaning "mass with rooster". The priest's explanation is that in the old days, when people still don't have alarm clocks, the townspeople wake up at the crowing of the roosters. They would then prepare for the mass. It wasn't really evening, which is the literal translation of the word "gabi" but we're just used to calling it "simbang gabi" because it is still dark when devotees head to the church. We can still see the moon shining so brightly (during good weather).

Oh well, that is just my short story/explanation of our tradition.

Below is the lyrics of the song and it's translation I borrowed from this site:
http://www.pwsonglyrics.com/emmanuel/
===============================================
Isang dalaga’y maglilihi,
Batang Lalaki ang sanggol.
At tatawagin siyang: “Emmanuel, Emmanuel.”
(repeat 1)

Magalak! Isinilang ang Poon.
Sa sabsaban Siya’y nakahimlay.
Nagpahayag ang mga anghel; “Luwalhati sa Diyos!”
(repeat 1 and 2 together, and then 1)

Coda: Kahuluga’y, nasaatin ang Diyos!
Nasaatin ang Diyos! Nasaatin ang Diyos!

EMMANUEL (English)

Behold, the Virgin shall be with Child
And shall bring forth a son
And they shall call His name: “Emmanuel, Emmanuel”

Rejoice! The Savior is born.
In the Manger is the Christ child lain
All the angels thoughout proclaim; “The Savior is born!”
Coda: In other words, “God with us!” (3x)
=============================================

Emanuel - Bukas Palad

I am taking this space to thank my EC droppers who really took time to religiously visit my blog.

Thanks to all of you and I long to reciprocate your generosity. In the meantime, let me show my appreciation for your unending support to my blog experience.

More Power fellow bloggers!

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